


Nothing I Wouldn’t Do

by babywarg (morphaileffect)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Drama, Family Drama, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, Kid Tony Stark, Short, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21667819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/pseuds/babywarg
Summary: Howard Stark holds baby Anthony close, and makes a promise.
Relationships: Howard Stark & Tony Stark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 133





	Nothing I Wouldn’t Do

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MDCBD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MDCBD/gifts).



> Title is from a line Howard Stark said in Endgame. No spoilers beyond that.
> 
> MCDBD requested fic with Howard's A+ Parenting. I have no idea if this fits that requirement, but I certainly hope so XD I hope you like this, SG! ♥

He was a miracle. One that looked almost exactly like him. The shape of the brow and chin, the color of the eyes and hair - it was him.

Howard was holding a tiny, miraculous version of himself.

It was sleeping quietly in his arms. It was named Anthony Edward, after Maria’s brother and then his.

Only a few weeks old, and already this child was mired in history.

Every time he looked at the tiny, sleeping, innocent thing, Howard was filled with something he could only call the opposite of peace: a disturbance. A profound unsettlement.

(The feeling of his heart jumping out of his chest, and wrapping around something else, something small and soft and helpless, in a desperate attempt to keep it safe.)

Howard wished he could look into the future. Into what could possibly hurt this child.

So he could cut it down before it could take root.

But the best he could do was to take all possibilities into consideration. He was the Futurist. He foresaw threats and outcomes.

It was his _job_.

He had been at his job for a long, long time and he knew - he was ready to move on. To something more important and more meaningful.

His only real job, right now, was to build a world where this child could come out on top.

Was this going to make him an evil person? Possibly.

“Evil” - the way he could be called when he made weapons. When he _sold_ them.

But the concept of “evil” was relative in the real world. It was all a matter of perception.

Someday, his child would understand.

Someday, his child would have to live in this merciless world. And the best that Howard could do was to make a space in the world where the child would be insulated from harm, as much as possible.

And, failing that - to prepare his child for the world’s worst cruelties.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I won’t always be a good person. Maybe not even a good father.”

Without thinking, he held the child more tightly to himself.

“But I’ll always protect you.”

The baby stirred against his chest. He shushed it softly, touched his lips lightly to the soft scalp, making sure rough stubble wouldn’t touch sensitive skin.

“I'll do whatever I have to, to make you better than your old man,” he said to the miracle in his arms, “so that someday, maybe, you can forgive him.”


End file.
